By MICHAEL CHAWE

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A Zambia Magistrate's court has ordered controversial Congolese rhumba star Koffi Olomide to appear before it by Friday.

Olomide, popularly known as Mopao, landed in Lusaka Wednesday for a series of shows.

Olomide is scheduled to perform on Friday in Lusaka and move to Kitwe city the following day.

His presence in the southern African nation has elicited reactions from his fans and “haters” alike.

Appear in person

In December 2012, Olomide assaulted a Zambian photojournalist, Mr Jean Ndayisenga, and had to flee across the border to avoid arrest.

Although he apologised, the photojournalist was still seeking “justice”.

According to the summons July 16, seen by the media, Olomide was commanded to appear in person at the New Magistrates Complex at Lusaka before Mr M.N Sakala.

“Whereas it is alleged that you Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba a.k.a Koffi Olomide on 28 December 2012 at Lusaka in the Lusaka district of the Lusaka Province of the Republic of Zambia, did assault Jean Nepomuscene Ndayisenga,” said the summon.

But Mr Ndayisenga, who has also written to the country’s top persecutor, said Olomide refused to accept the summons from a court messenger.

Lack of evidence

It was unlikely Zambia Police would arrest Olomide after it issued a statement saying it had no case against the rhumba star.

Police had dropped Mr Ndayisenga’s case “due to lack of evidence”.

On arrival in Lusaka aboard a Kenya Airways flight, Olomide toured Zambia’s Presidential site in the morning, saying he was paying homage to the three departed leaders.

When he was asked by reporters to respond to allegations against him, he opted to remain tight-lipped saying:

In 2016, Olomide was deported from Kenya following a public outcry over video footage of him assaulting a woman dancer.

Prison sentence

After the Kenya debacle, Olomide’s show in Lusaka was cancelled after public pressure.

The rhumba maestro is reportedly wanted on suspicion of sexually assaulting dancers, kidnapping and employing them in France without a permit, and facilitating their entry and illegal stay.

But even at home, the 62-year-old bad boy is never far from controversies. He was in August 2012 given a three-month suspended prison sentence for assaulting his producer. The sentence followed his arrest after fracas at a hotel in Kinshasa.

Earlier in 2001, security personnel in Kinshasa dragged Olomide out of his Mercedes Benz Compressor and frog-marched in public after he had defied being flagged down.